For many, climate change can feel distant and is often perceived as something unlikely to impact our daily lives or immediate future. Growing evidence makes clear that taking action now is essential to slowing its effects and preserving the health of our environment. Environmental changes are already impacting critical aspects of daily life, from food systems to infrastructure and overall quality of life. Unfortunately, underserved communities bear the greatest burden of these challenges, experiencing disproportionate impacts that deepen existing racial and social inequities.
Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) is working to change that reality. Through the Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP), the organization is advancing solutions that are both people-centered and planet-focused. The program is intentionally designed to assist California’s low-income and disadvantaged residents that have historically been left out of clean energy programs by assisting them with purchasing clean air vehicles.
CHDC partners with credit unions that provide the loans for electric vehicles (EVs), aligning with the organization’s mission to create economic opportunity and stability for underserved communities.
The EV Process and Its Impact on Underserved Communities
DCAP is built with accessibility at its core. The process begins with residents checking their eligibility and submitting an application. Approved applicants work with a network of enrolled dealerships to select a qualifying battery electric, plug-in hybrid, or fuel cell vehicle, and the grant is applied directly during purchase. DCAP pairs vehicle grants of up to $12,000 with interest rate caps, while CHDC expands access to credit and provides financial coaching to help combat limited access to affordable capital and predatorylending practices.
Families that have benefited from the program report resulting in less financial stress allowing remaining funds to be redirected toward savings, homeownership, and building generational wealth.
“The goal is to meet people where they are and build a pathway to ownership that is genuinely accessible, not just technically available,” Donald Gilmore, Executive Director of CHDC, said. “Environmental justice isn’t just about reducing emissions; it’s about ensuring that the communities who have suffered disproportionate environmental harm are the first to benefit from solutions. Everything we do at CHDC, from affordable housing to clean transportation to community engagement, is designed to make that a reality in the neighborhoods we serve.”
Since launching in 2024, DCAP has provided EVs to 1,670 participants across California. In December 2025 alone, 394 residents completed their vehicle purchasereflecting significant improvement in processing capacity and overall program volume.
Shaping a More Equitable Future Through Green Finance
As a leader in green finance, CHDC drives sustainable efforts through key initiatives like the North Richmond Waste and Recovery Mitigation Fee Joint Expenditure Planning Committee, which directs resources toward cleanup efforts in historically impacted neighborhoods. The organization also hosts an annual Earth Day event and integrates sustainability into its affordable housing developments. Through strategic partnerships with NeighborWorks America affiliates, CHDC is working to close critical gaps and expand its impact across the communities it serves.
“I hope we see a fundamental shift in who gets to participate in the clean energy transition — not just in California but nationally. Programs like DCAP demonstrate that equity and climate outcomes are not competing goals, and I’d like to see that model replicated and expanded so that every income-qualified household that wants a clean vehicle has a real pathway to get one,” Gilmore said.
To learn more about CHDC’s work in advancing environmental and community resilience, visit https://communityhdc.org/.
